Forever
by Alyssa4Music4Life
Summary: -One Shot, may be turned into story- She came to him, one stormy night, carrying only a cat, the clothes on her back and a secret that's ruined her life. Will he help her? -Naitlyn-


**Okay so this is a one shot I've had in mind ever since drama class this morning in school, and I just now finished it!**

**I don't think it's that good but if you want it to be a story, I'll gladly keep writing.**

**Review!  
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* * *

Forever**

Rain beat mercilessly down on the roof above him. He sighed deeply, drained the last of his Coke and looked around his small house. It was, as usual, empty. But that was his own fault, caused by his arrogant self, his stupidity, but most of all, his cowardliness. It was his fault why he was now on his own, and why she'd walked away. There was nothing he could do about it now; it had been months. Three, four, he couldn't remember. It was his own fault that he was now on his own on a rainy Saturday evening.

He looked around again; god, it was a pigsty. To most people, he knew it would look relatively clean for a twenty year old man's bachelor pad, but to him, it was impossibly messy. Last night's newspaper was sprawled across the floor by the coffee table, which held three cans of now empty Coke, a novel by Charles Dickens, and the TV remote. On top of his said TV was a stack of papers that he couldn't remember putting there. And in another corner, by the big back windows lay Costello, his fluffy white Persian cat, who was lying primly in the pot which held an indoor tiny tree. Costello wasn't so white anymore; he'd need a bath tomorrow. And his litter box, smelling like nobody's else's business in his guest bathroom, needed cleaning.

But for now, all Nate could do was wallow in self pity, for the millionth time that week, and try not to think.

Try not to think about the growing-messier kitchen, or the smelly bathroom, or his bedroom with his clothes strewn everywhere, or the poor potted tree…yes, that was all he could do now.

Costello, however, seemed to have other plans. After a few minutes, he rose, shook off the dirt clinging to his fur and jumped out of the plant. He padded to the couch and jumped onto Nate's stomach, surprising him. He jumped and opened his eyes.

"Oh, hey, Costello," he murmured, petting the cat's head. The cat instantly let out a motor boat purr. "What's up? Are you lonely, too? I guess that's what two bachelors' get, huh, boy?"

Puuurr, puuurr, went Costello. Nate sighed. He was talking to his cat. Wow.

Costello rubbed his head against Nate's cheek and Nate sighed. "I guess you're hungry, huh, buddy? Want some food?" Obviously, the cat didn't answer but Nate knew his cat enough to know that Costello was demanding food. With a groan, he sat up and picked up the cat, so that he was more or less resting against his shoulder, kind of like a baby.

"Okay, let's see what le chef has for le kitty," Nate announced in a phony, very bad French accent, walking into the small kitchen and placing the cat on top of the table, pulling the sheet music off it at the same moment and tossing it to the counter. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out the can of tuna he had stored for his cat and grabbed the can opener.

_Ding, dong!_

Costello meowed, like he always did when the doorbell went off. Nate sighed. "Yeah, I know it's the doorbell. I'm not deaf." Shaking his head, he went to get the door. Right before he reached the door, still holding the can opener, the doorbell went off again, twice actually, as if the person at the door was becoming more desperate.

"I'm coming," Nate said loudly, unlocking the door and pulling it open. To his complete surprise, out in the pouring rain stood his ex-girlfriend, Caitlyn Annabelle Gellar, huddled on the steps.

"Caitlyn?" he asked in surprise. She looked up at him, and a flash of lightning lit up her hazel eyes.

"Can I come in?" she whispered hoarsely, and Nate realized she was crying; hard.

"Of course," he said, opening the door more and letting her inside. She stepped quickly inside, her hair tangled and matted, her entire frame soaked and shaking. Nate still thought she looked breath taking.

She had her arm curled like she was clutching something, and Nate realized it was a small, orange tabby cat. Nate never remembered her having a cat…

"What's with the cat?" he asked despite wanting to jump for joy at the fact that Caitlyn was talking to him again.

"I found her on the streets on my way over here," Caitlyn whispered. "I thought you could take her in."

Costello came to see what the heck was taking Nate with his dinner and immediately noticed the small cat in Caitlyn's arms. Letting out a loud yowl, he put his paws on Caitlyn's legs, trying to see her better. Caitlyn laughed lightly and put the cat down. Costello immediately went to sniffing her.

"I think Costello likes her," Caitlyn whispered. "Will you take her?"

"Sure," Nate shrugged. "I'll just call her Madonna."

Madonna was sniffing Costello and suddenly rubbed up against him, obviously already taking a liking to him.

_Are you kidding me? _Nate thought despite himself. _My freaking cat can get a girl, and I can't?! That is so not fair._

Costello led the way to the kitchen, Madonna following obediently. Nate smiled and turned to Caitlyn. It was then he noticed how completely awful she looked. She had dark, dark circles under her eyes, and her face was pale.

"Caitlyn, are you okay?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, Caitlyn gave a small wail of despair and broke into tears. Nate was alarmed, and instantly reached out to comfort her. He stopped though, his hand a few inches from her shoulder, and bit his lip.

"I g-g-got k-kicked ow-ow-out of m-my house," Caitlyn sobbed before he could decide what to do. Nate gasped at her words. Kicked out? Innocent Caitlyn, the pride of her family? How the hell did she get kicked out?

"What?!" he exclaimed. "Why, how? Oh, Caity, don't worry. You can stay here until you sort things out."

"T-Thanks Nate," she sniffed, ignoring his questions. He decided not to press the matter just yet, knowing she needed time to calm down. Instead, he offered the best he could.

"You want some tea?"

Caitlyn blinked and looked up at him, sniffling. A small smile played at her lips and she managed out "You still drink tea?"

Nate shrugged and led her to the kitchen. "Yeah, kinda. You want any? I was just about to make some."

Caitlyn glanced at the can opener in his left hand. Nate reddened. "I was getting Costello something to eat," he muttered. Caitlyn giggled. Nate smiled and stopped when he saw Costello and Madonna licking each other on the table, Costello on top of the tiny cat.

"Costello, no!" he scolded. "Not on the table. That's what bedrooms are for, you idiot." Costello blinked his amber eyes at his owner as he picked him up. Nate rolled his eyes. "Don't start with me. You want something to eat or what?"

Madonna had sat up and was delicately licking her paw. Costello wriggled from Nate's grasp and sat beside her. Nate sighed and grabbed the can of tuna, opening it and placing it in front of his cats, deciding he didn't care if they ate it all or not.

"Costello's so beautiful, Nate," Caitlyn said suddenly. Nate shrugged.

"I guess." He bit his lip. "Thanks for getting him for my birthday, Caitlyn. He's been good…good company after…" He trailed off and grabbed his kettle, pouring some water into it. Caitlyn was silent for a second before saying in a quiet voice

"You're welcome. My puppy has been a good friend, too."

Nate smiled, still turned away from her, remembering the small Yorkie puppy he'd given her for her nineteenth birthday, almost a year ago. "You're welcome."

After a few minutes, the kettle whistled and Nate grabbed the mugs and poured the water into them. He grabbed the box of tea from the cupboard and offered it to Caitlyn. "You like this one, right?"

Of course she did. It was her favorite.

"Yeah," she said, eyeing the box. "You kept that box of my favorite tea, after all this time?"

Nate smiled sheepishly, placing the cup of steaming tea on the table in front of her and didn't answer. She instantly took it and took a sip, ignoring how warm it was. He drank, too, and for a few minutes silence rang out in the small kitchen, while Nate's mind was racing like a race horse at the Kentucky Derby. _Why was Caitlyn here? Was she okay? Why was she kicked out of her house? When did she decide to talk to me?_

Nate broke the silence by clearing his throat. "So…you, uh…h…how are you, Caitlyn?" he blurted out, feeling like an idiot. How was she? She was sitting her ex-boyfriend's kitchen drinking tea while crying because she got kicked out of her house! Yeah, she must be just peachy.

"I, uh, I mean, how have you been?" he corrected. "Um, b…before."

He wanted to smash his head with a hammer. Maybe he would.

Caitlyn sighed. "Oh, um…b…been better," she admitted. "I mean, Mitchie's doing really well with her album and all that but…I don't know." She bit her lip and more tears ran down her face. She was still staring at the table, not at Nate.

"Oh."

After a moment of mentally cussing himself out, he decided to try again. "So…are you going to tell me why you got, um, kicked out of your house?"

Caitlyn sighed and didn't say anything. Nate wanted to kick himself where it would hurt the most.

"Well, um, you don't need to…to tell me," he fixed. "I mean, if it's personal…family matters…yeah."

"No, no," she said, shaking her head and looking up at him. "I mean, it's…it's personal but…but it has nothing to do with my…my family. Actually, it's because of the…personal matter that my dad kicked me out."

Nate blinked. What was wrong with Caitlyn?

"Oh," he murmured. "Well, um, you need to spend the night? I mean, I don't have another bed but, um, you could have mine…I'll sleep on the couch or we could share," he blurted out before realizing what he was saying. Share the bed? Wasn't that technically a sex offer? He and Caitlyn hadn't had sex…well, once they did, a long time ago…

Caitlyn reddened but shook her head. "No, no, the couch is fine for me," she said quickly. "I, um, might be going to Mitchie's tomorrow; your house was just…closer."

Nate felt a tinge of hurt. So, she hadn't immediately thought of him for comfort…just that his house was closer.

"Um, okay," he said quietly.

"I mean, I wanted to see you," Caitlyn corrected suddenly. "And your house was closer; I just think that…that it might be better if I stay with Mitchie for a while."

"Oh, okay," he said automatically. "Why?"

She bit her lip and looked away out the window, where the rain had turned into a fierce thunderstorm. After a moment, she let out a long, deep sigh, as if she was about to confess a great and terrible crime. Maybe she was, how was Nate supposed to know?

"If I tell you," she said quietly. "Or, rather,_ show_ you, will you promise not to yell at me?"

He almost said that he would never yell at her, but he changed his mind at the last moment. He did yell, once upon a time.

"Of course," he said instead. "You can trust me, Caitlyn."

She nodded and let out another breath. "Okay."

She stood and slowly began to unbutton her raincoat. Nate watched silently. Slowly, she pulled it apart, revealing her perfectly round, ballooning stomach.

Nate's breath caught in his throat. Everything in the room froze. His heart, his brain, his clock on the wall, everything. He couldn't take his eyes off her stomach. He couldn't believe Caitlyn would sleep with another man. She was his only, his first and only. Why had she…after just a few months…

He didn't know how long he stared, but it must have been too long for Caitlyn, because she quickly pulled her raincoat back over herself and pushed her chair back.

"Shouldn't have told you," she grumbled to herself, her voice holding back tears. "I'll just go back to Mitchie's…" She grabbed her purse and started for the door. Nate got slapped back to reality.

"Wait, Caitlyn!" he cried, grabbing her arm. "I'm sorry, you just…took me by surprise. Please, don't go back out there. I'm sorry."

Caitlyn looked down at his arm, still clasping hers and sighed, holding back more tears. But she failed miserably at this and burst into crying again. Nate knew what to do now and pulled her gently into a hug, stroking her back and letting her sob into his chest.

When it became known that she wasn't going to stop after a few minutes, he sat on the table, half pulling her into his lap, the cat's having long sense fled the room. He stared out the window as she shook in his arms, wondering who the father was, and wondering where he could hire a murderer at a cheap price.

Finally, however, Caitlyn lifted her tear stained face from his chest and sniffled.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

"It's not your fault," Nate said gently. "It's probably hard right now." No duh. "But you're welcome here until, um, your baby is born. It'll be okay."

She sniffled again and pulled back, wiping her face, her stomach once again becoming visible to Nate. She looked five, maybe six months along. With a pang of jealousy and anger, he realized she must have conceived while they were still dating! But why? Why would Caitlyn do that?

"Come on," he heard himself say. "You better go sit on the couch. I have to change the sheets on the bed if you're going to be staying there."

"The couch is-"

"Not in my house, and not in your condition," he argued, wrapping his arm around her back and guiding her to the couch. "Here, just sit down here. I'll be right back."

He ran up the stairs to the second floor, which had only his room and the master bathroom. Why a famous musician had such a tiny house, even he didn't know, but it didn't matter. Like a human tornado, he sped around the room, grabbing all his clothes, dumping into the hamper in the linen closet, grabbing new bedding and quickly stripping the bed. He changed the bedding fast and put the old ones in the hamper. Surveying his room after this was complete, he grabbed the guitar out of the corner and shoved it into his closet, and picked up all the love sick songs he was composing off the ground, tucking them away into his dresser. Finally, the room was presentable enough for a lady to stay in and he went back downstairs.

Caitlyn was lying down on the couch by now, her stomach half hidden. Her eyes were closed. Not wanting to wake her, Nate began to pick up the newspapers strewn across the floor. He piled them neatly, grabbed the cans of soda and threw them away in the kitchen, adding the empty can of tuna there, too. Upon returning to the living room, he realized Caitlyn's hazel eyes were open and watching him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"I wasn't asleep," she said softly, sitting up. Nate stood awkwardly in the doorway. After a minute, she glanced at him.

"Are you going to just stand there like a moron or do you want to sit down?" she demanded, sounding like the old Caitlyn he knew and still loved. He smiled and sat down in the comfortable armchair next to the fireplace. He watched Caitlyn, she stared back. Neither of them looked away.

Nate soon began to think back on the night they broke up…

* * *

"_Stop it, Caitlyn!" Nate shouted angrily. "Just shut up! You know what? I wish that we'd never done that last week! I'd much rather be a virgin for the rest of my life than have lost virginity to you!"_

_He instantly regretted it, deep down, but his regret was overcome by fury._

_Caitlyn's eyes glowered at him, angry hazel daggers. "Well, maybe I feel the same way! Maybe, I feel that having being practically assaulted by a bitch isn't what I want to go through!"_

"_I would never…" He was horrified._

"_I HAVE FUCKING BRUISES, YOU BASTARD!" she screamed. Nate froze._

"_You do?" he whispered._

"_Yes! Yes I do! And you know what?" She was trembling now, out of anger and sadness. "I hate you! I never ever want to see you ever again!"_

"_Caitlyn, I-"_

"_GOODBYE NATE."_

_And the door slammed closed behind her, leaving him alone and broken inside his small, dark house._

* * *

He was pulled out of the painful flashback by Caitlyn sighing. Her hands were at her stomach, rubbing it gently. He swallowed hard.

"Caitlyn?" he asked softly. "You don't have…have to tell me much but…I really want to know…w…who's the father?" He instantly felt like slapping himself. Of course she wouldn't answer that!

But, to his surprise, she sighed and looked down. "You really don't want to know," she murmured. "I'll tell you if you do, but…Nate, I don't think you want to know."

"Yes, I do!" he said before he could think. "I honestly want to know, Caitlyn! I need to know. I don't want to have you here, hurting because of some stupid jackass who got you kicked out of your house!" He got on his knees beside the couch and stared up at her.

"I want to help," he murmured. "Please, Caitlyn?"

But something in his words seemed to make her half laugh and half cry at the same time. She wiped away her tears and sighed.

"Nate…"

"Tell me!" he insisted. "Please?" He took her hands and held them. "Please?" he repeated. "I won't call a lawsuit. I promise."

She sniffed. "Oh, Nate…"

"Please?"

"Nate…it's…it's…"

"Yes?" he trembled with anxiety.

"It's you!" she blurted out. "Y…You're the father."

Nate's world, once again, froze in its tracks. He stared up at Caitlyn, unblinking and unmoving, his dark eyes glassy, almost fake looking, his hands, now slightly looser, still clutching her hands. He just about turned to stone.

Caitlyn fidgeted. "Nate?" she whispered when her ex didn't move for an unnatural amount of time. She grew worried. Was he having a seizure? "Nate, if you can hear me, answer," she begged. "Nate, please, you're scaring me...I'm going to call 911 Nate," she warned. "I mean it…Nate?"

He still didn't move. She caught her breath and hurriedly stood up. "Nate, don't worry, I'm getting help!" she shrieked, her hormones going overboard. She went for the phone but the sound of his footsteps stopped her, as well as the slamming of the bathroom door and someone retching their guts up in the toilet.

Caitlyn stood, quite surprised and a little embarrassed and disgusted by the kitchen doorway, when he finally stumbled out, his eyes closed. She hurried to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. He flinched but didn't say a word.

"Nate, I, I," she said, stuttering, more tears coming. "I'm so…so sorry, I know we used protection but maybe I didn't d…do it right, and I had no control…I'm so, so sorry I found out a few months ago and I was so so scared I never wanted to tell you and I…I…" she stopped and began to sob again, pressing her hands to her face.

Nate woke up from his trance and pulled her into a hug.

"Shh, Caity," he whispered. "Shh, it's okay, it'll be okay, I promise."

"No it won't," she wailed. "I have no house, no family, nothing!"

"You have me," he reminded her. "Forever. I promise…" he trailed off and frowned. "Wait a second…Caitlyn, you look like you're six months or something. We only…we only did that about, I don't know, four, maybe."

"Three and a half," she sniffed miserably.

"Then why…?"

"Twins, Nate," she whispered. "I'm…I'm carrying twins."

He blinked and forced himself not to freeze up again. She studied his face worriedly and a small whimper, almost a sob, broke out from her throat. He stroked her face gently, brushing away the tears.

"Caitlyn," he whispered. She sniffed and looked up at him. He went on.

"Caitlyn, ever sense you left me," he whispered. "I wanted you to come back. I almost went after you, but…but I felt that everything you said was…was true. I was so sad and broken…I wanted you back so bad, I wanted you mine again that it almost killed me. I was so upset…and I just didn't have the courage to pursue you again. I thought you hated me"

She stared up at him, her eyes filling with tears.

"Nate, ever since I first stepped out of this house," she said back. "I wanted you to come after me. I wanted you to claim me again. I just needed you back so badly. But, you didn't and after those first two weeks…" she shuddered. "I knew…I knew you weren't coming back. I wanted you to come knocking on my door at night, to beg my dad to let you in, to beg me back. Oh, Nate, I would have! I would have come back, but…but you didn't."

"Caitlyn, I-"

"And then, when I found out about…about this," she waved her hand at her stomach. "I was so afraid. I was sure you were going to…to kill me. I thought you hated me, too. And then when this happened, I thought the world had just better burn now."

She sniffed. "But I loved it. I was so excited when I found out. I don't know why. Maybe it was because I still had a piece of you with me, literally, but it was something I could claim forever…" She sniffled.

"Oh, Caity," he sighed. "Oh, my darling, you have no idea how long I waited for you. I wanted you to come back, even though I knew you wouldn't. It was my entire fault when we broke up and I'm so, so sorry. Will you forgive me?"

She sniffed and hugged him. "I forgave you the moment you let me inside."

He lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. They both leaned in and their lips met, warm and together again, after so long, even though it hadn't been long at all. Nate gripped her around her waist, pulling her as close as her pregnancy would allow. She molded against him, her hands combing through his curls. He gently sucked on her lower lip, and she opened her mouth, letting him run his tongue along her teeth and against her tongue. She moaned his name and pulled back, breathless.

"I love you," she whispered. "So, so much.

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Caitlyn," he sighed. "I love you so much more than you can ever imagine. I want to be here with you, raising our children, forever."

She stared at him. "Are…are you asking me to…to marry you?" she whispered. He smiled and got on one knee.

"I don't have a ring," he apologized. "But, I will get one. Until then, please, just take my word for it. I want to be with you forever until we both die and turn into dust. Caitlyn, will you be with me? Marry me?"

"Duh," she laughed and he jumped up and kissed her so passionately it would have lit the sun on fire. Finally, he pulled back and placed a hand on her stomach. He just barely feel the tiniest bit of movement and he grinned.

"Forever," he promised.

And then he picked her up and carried up the stairs and to bed.

"Forever," she whispered as she curled next to him, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

And Nate's life was officially perfect.


End file.
